Occupy’s #m12 march was out of touch and alienating

12 May, and the sun beams beautifully across London’s favourite landmarks as it rises for another day under conservative austerity. It’s a political state that many of us never asked for, or particularly want to rise to. But its reality is one that hits hard for the faceless nomads that hide round London’s street corners, shivering in the brisk cold of spring air and sucking each breath as if it was their last. These are the faces that wake to a world that’s left them homeless, perhaps by choice,  but not because they ever wanted to. And that experience of the lifelessness, the dead beat tone of street living is one that I experienced in my weeks at Occupy.

As a movement, its fresh faced approach to activism, inspired by the ideas of the Arab Spring, and facilitated by the Occupy Wall St movement – made it a conversation topic for every Londoner, regardless of their view. And while an early morning eviction left the camp decimated in early January, the message of  ‘the 99%’ was an idea that would live on past the camp’s existence. So, there we were on 12 May, standing on the steps that three months ago were our homes, ready to form Occupy 2.0. Or at least, that’s what many were expecting.

The march was lively, and jittered round street corners with a sense of pride glowing from familiar faces. But the police seemed just as lively, keen to close any unexpected actions with a velocity many of the crowd seemed to find terrifying.

As the march worked its way down New Holborn Circus, towards the Barbican, Ahmed, an economics graduate from the Midlands got caught up in the demonstration. Finding himself being rescued from a police headlock by a friendly activist I thought I’d catch up with him to try and get a few comments about his experience:

“Half the people here seem to have a message, but the others just seem lost. I still don’t really know what they’re standing for,” he told me.

Ahmed’s words are what I’ve heard from many outsiders looking in at the Occupy movement. Its ‘99%’ ideology is just not one that stands up when you see the faces out marching. The #m12 demonstration was, it’s fair to say, no more than a few hundred anonymous and black bloc radicals, awkwardly marching alongside individuals who’ve become enlightened to the cause by social networks and Twitter. And it’s no wonder many of the faces were terrified by the sight of TSG units and bully vans racing up behind them.

The problem is, the average person doesn’t want to face a criminal conviction for standing up to their political rights. Spending their Saturday locked inside a kettle of anarchists isn’t what I’d call the most desired of afternoons. These people want a movement they can put minimum effort into, and it’s why internet activism (spread through Twitter, and Facebook) has taken off so rapidly in the last year.

Occupy will forever hold a place in my heart; my experiences there opened an entirely new mindset for me, but for those who are new to the idea of political engagement, a demo like Occupy’s #m12 isn’t a good starting point.

Ahmed reaction to his brief involvement is unsurprising:

“They’ve ruined my day,” he says to me, almost angered by the five minutes he spent as part of it.

And you know what; I’m starting to get a little pissed off with Occupy, and its lack of understanding too. So, next time an invitation to take action finds its way into my inbox, the battle to leave that breakfast bagel and cuppa I could be enjoying otherwise is going to be an even harder decision.

So, do I support the face of a movement I know is flawed, or do I just leave it to preach to the converted?

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• Ryan Wright

  got to love that one of the keywords issued by these people seen at the end of the article is “homeless” . Not biased at all are we ?

• itstimeforaction

  “The problem is, the average person doesn’t want to face a criminal conviction for standing up to their political rights.” In which case, kiss your rights goodbye. Imagine if this was the attitude of the suffragettes, the abolitionists, those involved in the Arab spring… in fact pretty much anyone who has proved pivotal in any movement for equality and justice. As abolitionist Frederick Douglass said, “Power concedes nothing without demand, it never has and it never will”. If you aren’t willing to stand up and challenge unjust laws, perhaps by breaking those laws, then there may come a time when you no longer have the means and liberty to enjoy your cuppa and bagel. Now is the time for action, not sitting on the sidelines.

• http://pulse.yahoo.com/_HVECEB352OPA244HI7W7FM33MQ Mephistopheles

  I am from Wall Street and I approve of this message.  

  Thank you Robbie Wojciethefuckschowski. Please stop by my office this afternoon, my secretary has your (very small) check ready.

• http://www.facebook.com/people/Brian-Jamieson/629899261 Brian Jamieson

  Every protest I have participated in has had its share of aggressive sideline groups. They arrive and try and sell their groups’ world view rather than focus on the main issues of the protest. The focus is lost, the more vocal or aggressive groups take over the message. The media get their 20 second shot of violence which is used to excuse police violence. The format rarely changes except one year at a Palm Sunday anti-nuclear protest in Sydney the organisers banned banners of outside groups, and insisted everyone be silent. Thousands all walked quietly down the streets of Sydney under a unified banner for world peace and nuclear disarmament. It was very powerful and effective at delivering the message without any silly conspiracy group distractions. Looking at the state of world peace and nuclear disarmament that days silence has become the norm.

• http://twitter.com/vlcastle Vicky Castle

  http://franklyvicky.wordpress.com/2012/04/26/occupy-london-finsbury-square-six-months-on/

  I wrote a similar-minded blog post not long ago about my thoughts on the occupy movement (see above). I travelled up to London to meet the Finsbury Square group, in full support of everything they stand for only to feel exactly that – that they were out of touch and alienating. Such a shame, a necessary cause with little organised direction.

• http://twitter.com/robbieflash Robbie Wojciechowski

  Ryan mate, I didn’t do the tags. But I guess it works out with the SEO because I talk about it briefly at the start. 
  @itstimeforaction:disqus Dude, I’m someone socially engaged to the idea of protest by the student demonstrations in London, and Occupy. But if even I, a supporter of the whole cause concede that it’s not doing itself any favours anymore then, well, how’s the perception of everyone else going to be?

  @facebook-629899261:disqus Their was a pretty powerful similarity to what I saw at the police protests the other day. 30,000 cops, one hat, complete silence. But I couldn’t help but find myself troubled by the idea that 3 days later they would be arresting the folk from Occupy for making a stance against austerity again.

  Awh, @twitter-193287780:disqus my experiences were similar. My nights at Finsbury Square were always weird. And always much more aggravated and aggressive than the ones at St. Pauls. It’s in the same state now. It really is. It was kind of painful penning the idea of all this. 

  @yahoo-HVECEB352OPA244HI7W7FM33MQ:disqus Oh mate. I wish. Wasn’t paid for this. Merely did it out of the endearing hope for opportunity. If you want to read something a bit further on the idea of austerity and the media then check out this. http://almostflash.tumblr.com/post/22789888303/the-media-in-austerity-exploitation-corruption

  It’s a struggle finding paid comment in this industry. 

• Kugelschreiber

  ………….